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| Access to the Courts-Legal Services for Indigents |
The United States Congress passed the Legal Services Corporation Act of 1974 and set up the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), a private, non-profit corporation. Congress created LSC to provide low-income individuals with equal access to the justice system and to provide high quality legal assistance to those who otherwise could not afford adequate legal counsel. LSC provides low-income Americans with access to legal assistance in civil matters. LSC does not provide free legal assistance to indigents directly but provides grants to nearly 200 local legal services programs throughout the nation. The local legal services programs give legal assistance to individuals that meet LSC's income guidelines. The local legal services groups also receive funding from state and local governments and private sources.
Income Guidelines
LSC is required to establish maximum income levels for eligibility to receive free legal services. The basic rule is that the maximum income level for access to free legal services is equivalent to 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, which are issued by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Effective February 2007, LSC's maximum income level to receive free legal services is $25,813 for a family of four in the continental United States. This figure is somewhat higher for Alaska and Hawaii.
Types of Legal Services Provided
LSC's clients include all races, ethnic groups, and ages. They include the working poor, the elderly, veterans, family farmers, people with disabilities, and natural disaster victims. Local legal services programs provide representation in welfare problems, housing issues, family law concerns, and consumer protection matters. Free legal assistance is provided to victims of domestic violence who seek divorces from their abusive spouses, elderly consumers who want protection from fraudulent collection practices, tenants who want to avoid becoming homeless, and veterans and seniors who need crucial government benefits. In spite of the dedication of legal services attorneys, only a small percentage of the civil legal needs of poor people are addressed by local legal services programs.
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